A call for Mike Sullivan to change with the times and roster | Penguins Perspectives
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Penguins are a franchise built on star power. From Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang to Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey, and everyone in between, when you think of this franchise, you think of high-quality star talent.
When one recalls some of the biggest moments in the team's history, it no doubt involves one of those players turning in an otherworldly effort to score a highlight reel goal that lives on in the mind forever.
There have also been examples in the Penguins' history of coaches coming in and demanding they focus more on the defensive side of the puck rather than taking it and attacking.
The results have been…decidedly mixed.
In the late '90s, Kevin Constantine tried it with some success, seeing the Penguins win their division only to lose in the first round in 1998, finish third in the division, and lose in the second round in 1999, and then saw himself fired in the 1999-2000 season just 25 games in.
Another famously defensive coach took the reigns early in Sidney Crosby's career, Michael Therrien, of "they soff" fame.
He would take the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 but was let go with 25 games to go the very next year.
For two seasons, Mike Johnston was tasked with giving Crosby and company some defensive structure.
It did not go particularly well as a team filled to the brim with offensive talent, seeing a first-round exit in 2015, and was promptly dismissed 28 games into the next season.
You may be wondering if this is a column calling for the firing of Mike Sullivan.
Not quite.
Now, that does not mean the proverbial heater under his seat shouldn't be turned up.
This Penguins team has goaltending issues, and as stated in an earlier column, goaltending is 70% of the game when you have one and 100% of the game when you don't.
Away from that, the Penguins have improved depth at forward for the first time in a couple of years. Lars Eller has scored four goals, Kevin Hayes has three, Drew O'Connor has three, Jesse Puljujarvi has five points, and through eight games, the Penguins have solved an issue that has plagued them the past few seasons - the pucks are going in.
They currently sit 12th in the NHL in goals per game with a mark of 3.38.
The problem is they are second in the NHL in goals against per game at a rate of 4.25.
They can score, but they can't keep the puck out of the net.
Of course, part of the issue is the aforementioned goaltending issues. As Tristan Jarry works in Pittsburgh while the team is in Western Canada, the team has work to do on the road and it's more than just winning.
Yes, Jarry has struggled, Nedeljkovic hasn't been stellar, and Blomqvist has been fine enough, but all of that is for naught if this team doesn't fix its overall defensive play.
Let's run down a few more numbers: the Penguins give up the fourth-most shots against on average in the NHL with 33.3 per game. They give up the third-most scoring chances per game at even strength with 193. They have allowed a league-high 93 high-danger chances against.
It's fair to ask goalies to make a save, but when you have a team that is scoring at a rate it hasn't in years past, it's more than just your goaltending. It's your defensive structure.
The Penguins, since Mike Sullivan took over as bench boss, have been known for an aggressive style of hockey, as well they should be. The problem now is the personnel is not the same as it was in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
They're older, they aren't as fast, and they have holes on defense.
Playing a puck-side overload in the defensive zone has led to breakdowns, extended zone time, and goals against.
Sullivan has been known as stubborn, almost annoyingly, but this year that stubbornness has seemed to dissapate. Jarry's leash has been short. Younger players have been given extended looks. Lines are put in a blender if they don't peform.
He also has changed the offensive zone attack, focusing less on a relentless forecheck and more on puck possession down low and opening up the middle of the ice. For the most part, it's working as seen by the goals scored this year.
For this team to reach its stated goal of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it has to begin with changing its defensive zone structure.
Whether it's will, skill, or just the rest of the NHL adapting to their defensive zone play, it's no longer working.
The team appears to have a solid shot of returning to the postseason on the surface, but should they sink? It'll sink in the defensive zone.
